Broccoli and Feta Dip with a Basic ‘House Salad’

Served with Pitta Bread too!

I’ve been eating a lot of Hummous recently with my salads and I really fancied a change (even though I absolutely love hummous!). I decided to use my favourite vegetable, broccoli, to make a sort of dip, sort of thick salad dressing which will add some interest to my salads without too many extra calories. I’m really watching my weight at the moment just because the sun has started to come out and a few pub gardens were frequented…a few ciders and bowls of chips were enjoyed….a few lazy days turned into picnics etc. It all adds up and my shorts which I have finally pulled out of the wardrobe from last summer felt just that tiny bit too tight for my liking!!

The thing is, I love food! I’m not the sort of person that can just cut down on what I eat, I feel it is better to change what I eat instead. Now hummous is not bad for you by any means but I was more getting bored of it and wanted to swap it with something equally as healthy.

If you have just joined me after the virtual vegan potluck and you do follow a vegan diet then don’t worry as most of my recipes are vegan and I always try and offer an alternative vegan option to my recipes For example, I couldn’t resist using feta in this dip because it went so wonderfully with the flavours but you could use cooked white beans, vegan cream cheese, or even tofu! I rarely buy cheese so next time I make this I will definitely be using white beans such as cannelini beans.

You can serve it on the side or pour it onto your salad

I’ve used the term “House ” Salad here because it has a bit of everything in it! At restaurants they always have a house salad on the menu and it’s always different. I think it’s kind of a “used up everything in the house” salad! For my salad today I used lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, radishes, red onion, spring onion (only use one type of onion or no onion if you plan on breathing near people after eating!), black olives and celery. This is my standard list of salad vegetables that I put on my food shop list every week.

Serves 4

Vegetarian, Gluten and Wheat Free, Vegan option!

8 – 10 Broccoli Florets (approx 150g)
60g Feta/ Vegan Cheese – or a handful of Cooked beans
Large Bunch Basil Leaves
Salt and Pepper
Splash of Water

Steam the broccoli for 5 minutes until cooked but not mushy otherwise the dip will be quite watery. Place the broccoli along with everything else except the water and blend in a high power blender until smooth… or as I did in a really old blender for ages! If it needs it then add a splash of water until you have a nice creamy consistency.

Spring Veg Hot Pot – Virtual Vegan Potluck

A great centre piece main course for any potluck!

Welcome to Veghotpot and hello old friends! I am once again taking part in the ever growing “Virtual Vegan Potluck Party” where 168 Food Bloggers are sharing Vegan dishes including starters, sides, mains,puddings, soups, salads and drinks. If you’ve stumbled across this post and want to start at the beginning then please click here to visit Vegan Bloggers Unite. The idea is that everyone has linked to the person before and after them in the party list so you should be able to do a full circle of deliciousness! To visit the person before and after me in the main course category then please click the buttons below!

“Click Me to see Rachel in Veganland”

“Click Me to see My Plant Based Family”

So for my main course offering to this exciting party I have made a Creamy Bean and Spring Vegetable Hot Pot! My blog isn’t called Veghotpot because I’m an obsessed fanatic of this dish (although we have eaten it continuously over the last 3 weeks because I wanted it to be perfect), but I do love a good veghotpot! In fact this is the first veg hot pot to appear on Veghotpot……confused yet?

Leave on a table with a large spoon…it will disappear!

I love cooking big one pot dishes, they are usually more suited to the winter months when the slow cooker is dusted off and root vegetables and hearty beans are slowly stewed in dark ale and served with big comforting mountains of mashed potato. A traditional hot pot recipe includes red meat cooked in a dark meaty sauce and topped with thinly sliced potatoes (a dish I used to love but is now completely alien to me). Vegetarian varieties are mostly root veg based and often include some alcohol to add depth to the traditionally rich sauce.

We are now fully into spring (if you can believe it) so I wanted to take the concept of a hotpot but really lighten it up, make it more seasonal and much more colourful! I have used a medley of spring vegetables including leeks, asparagus, garden peas and carrots mixed with creamy vegan tofutti garlic and herb cream cheese.

Arrange the potato slices so it looks pretty! Each portion will have an even amount of potato

This is my first taste of tofutti garlic and herb cream cheese and I’m not sure what I think about it on its own but mixed with all of these lovely vegetables it is absolutely delicious! I couldn’t find vegan cream cheese anywhere in the supermarket so i ventured down to my local Holland and Barrett as I knew they would have it. It wasnt too expensive either so I was pleasantly surprised. I found this dish very moreish, every time I have made it I have ended up having second helpings and even when I was photographing it I couldn’t resist sticking a spoon in. Oh dear if you read my blog often you will have realised by now that if I have a spoon in my hand nothing is safe! I’m a picker!

Serves 6

Vegan, Gluten and Wheat Free, Dairy Free

2 Carrots
1 Large Onion
2 Leeks
Olive Oil
2 Cloves Garlic
10 Spears of Asparagus
1 Can White Beans such as Canellini or Butter/Lima beans
1 Cup Frozen Green Peas
1 tblspn Gluten Free Flour – I used rice flour
100g Dairy Free Garlic and Herb Cream Cheese (I used Tofutti)
400ml Gluten Free Veg Stock
1 Large Potato

Preheat your oven to 180c.

Peel/ Wash/ Trim your carrots, onion and leeks then fry in a small drizzle of olive oil for 10 mins on a medium heat in a large deep based oven proof frying pan or casserole dish.

Crush the garlic into the pan, season with a good pinch of salt and pepper and add your roughly chopped asparagus, white beans and frozen peas and cook for a further 5 mins. Once the vegetables are softened (and the peas are defrosted) stir in the flour, cream cheese and vegetable stock.

Bring to the boil then simmer covered for 15 mins. Add a splash of water if the sauce is thickening too quickly.

Top the filling with a layer of thin slices of unpeeled potato, you can do this randomly or in a nice swirl like I did. Cover with foil or put the lid on and bake in the oven for 20 mins. Then uncover for 10-15 mins to crisp up potatoes.

It is done when the potato slices are browned around the edges and the filling is bubbling away underneath. Serve hot with any side you like. If you are serving this at a party then make a couple of big pan fuls, place a large spoon in each pan and watch it disappear!

I can’t wait to see all of the recipes fellow bloggers are bringing to the potluck! Enjoy the party and thank you for checking out veg hot pot at Veghotpot

Butternut Squash and Peanut Curry

Packed full of Vegetables

As usual this recipe was a real work in progress until I finally got it to the point where I thought it was well balanced and fairly authentic. I originally wanted a tomato based curry however it just did not work with the peanut butter, and if there was anything I was going to compromise on it was NOT the peanut butter.

Peanut butter is seriously delicious, it took me 2 whole minutes of squirming until I finally snapped the lid back on and hid it back in the cupboard. Not without two spoonfuls rapidly disappearing into my mouth! I rarely buy it because it would never see a slice of bread, it only ever see a spoon (or a finger!) and I’ve certainly never cooked with it before. It added such a beautiful earthy depth which enhanced the sweetness of the butternut squash.

This recipe was inspired by Jamie Oliver’s Butternut Squash Laksa from his 30 Minute Meals cookbook (a firm favourite in my house and I highly recommend it). My recipe is completely different but it came about because as I was eating the Laksa I thought that some peanut butter would be awesome to add some further warmth. I researched recipes which include both butternut squash and peanuts and I decided to keep the coconut milk from Jamies laksa but i added some different varieties of vegetables and use different spicing.

We didn’t serve this with any rice or breads because it is really filling however Scott had some chicken and I had some stirfried baby corn. To be honest it didn’t even need this extra side but I can’t help myself, I’m variety greedy!

Serves 4

Vegan, Gluten Free, vital for Peanut Butter addicts

1 large onion
1 Red Pepper
1 Garlic clove
1 tblspn Fresh Ginger
1 Green Chilli
1/2 Large Butternut Squash
Handful Paleskin Peanuts
1 Courgette
1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
1 teaspoon Paprika
Salt and Pepper
1 tblspn Tomato Purée
2 tblspn Organic Crunchy peanut butter
1 can Light Coconut Milk
6 lumps of Frozen Spinach
Olive oil

Roughly chop the onion, red pepper, butternut squash and courgette. Crush the garlic and finely chop the ginger.

Heat some oil in a large deep frying pan or saucepan on a medium heat and add the onion, pepper, garlic, ginger and chilli. Cook for 3-4 minutes stirring often then add the butternut squash, peanuts and courgette and cook gently for 10 minutes, again stirring every few minutes to stop it sticking.

Add the spices, tomato purée and peanut butter and stir to mix it in with the vegetables and then add the coconut milk. Simmer with a lid on for 20 minutes then add the spinach, a splash of water and cook for a further 15 minutes.

Taste for seasoning then serve hot with your choice of sides or by itself!

Spinach Powder and Polenta Crispy Coated Tofu

Spinach Powder mixed with dry polenta makes a lovely coating for tofu

Back in February we went to Brighton and I bought some Spinach Powder from ‘The Spice Shop’. I’ve been thinking of simple ways to incorporate it into my cooking and I decided to use it in a polenta coating for tofu first. I didn’t find that it has an over powering taste of spinach but it just adds a lovely bright green colour and adds interest to an otherwise quite bland tofu.

By coating soft tofu in dry polenta before griddling it creates a deliciously crispy coating. If you can’t find spinach powder then you could substitute it with mixed dried herbs or even spices such as paprika (served with chips!).

Spinach powder and polenta could be a great coating for anything including fish and tofu!

This recipe idea is vegan, gluten free and low fat. It is also inexpensive because you only use a small amount of ingredients for the coating.

The method is really simple, mix 2 tablespoons of polenta with 1 tablespoon of Spinach powder and some salt and pepper and spread it out on a plate or a board. Slice and press your tofu then lay it in the powder coating and using your hands rub the polenta all over the tofu.

Heat a hot griddle pan, spray your tofu with some oil and lay your tofu on to the hot pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side turning every minute or so to stop it burning.

I served mine with some paprika stirfried peppers, tomatoes and onions stirred into spaghetti pasta. I felt that the earthy spinach would suit a more rustic dish rather than a stir fry. It would be lovely served on top of a roasted vegetable salad or served in a wrap with peppers and hummous.

I really enjoyed using the spinach powder and I have a few more ideas for the rest of the bag so you’ll be seeing it appear a bit more on here I also bought a beetroot powder so I’m excited to give that a go too!

ps I’m watching Masterchef UK as I write this, it’s so inspiring seeing all of the different flavour combinations!

St Georges Day Dinner – Layered Roasted Vegetable Wellington with a Cauliflower Puree

Roasted Vegetable Wellington – kind of like a huge vegetable pasty!

Beef Wellington is traditionally a “Show Stopper” recipe where the host would use expensive beef, foie gras and truffles all wrapped up neatly in pastry. Other versions I have seen include beef fillet, mushroom pate, spinach and even a pancake wrapped around the beef to retain its moisture.

A couple of years ago I was served the most beautiful pumpkin Wellington served with a cauliflower puree and it’s always been on my mind ever since! I knew St Georges day would be a great occasion to share this recipe, it’s decadent yet rustic…A real treat!

The Wellington is filled with cauliflower puree, roasted peppers, spinach, roasted onions and butternut squash

Whereas a traditional beef wellington has one large fillet of beef inside, I have filled mine with layers of cauliflower puree, roasted red peppers, spinach and roasted onion and butternut squash. It’s much more interesting than your usual recipe and veggie friendly

This is my first time putting anything on Veghotpot using puff pastry (I’ve always favoured the less calorific filo pastry), but for this recipe it just cannot be replaced! Flaky, buttery pastry with the creamy cauliflower puree and rich, caramelised vegetables is truly a match made in wellington heaven!

Veg Hot Pot

Serves 4

Vegetarian

1/2 Butternut squash
1 onion
2 red peppers
Dried Herbs
Chilli Flakes
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
8 Cauliflower Florets
Handful Spinach
1 Sheet Ready Rolled Puff Pastry
1 Egg for egg wash

Chop the Onion and Butternut Squash into small pieces and slice the red Pepper into large thick strips and put on a baking tray, sprinkle all of it with salt, pepper, dried herbs, chilli flakes and olive oil and roast at 200c for 10 mins or until starting to brown and cooked through.

Boil the cauliflower florets in 250ml vegetable stock then blend using a hand held mixer or a food processor to make a purée.

Wilt the spinach leaves and put to one side.

Cut two circles out of the pastry, one circle should be around an inch bigger in circumference than the first. Place the smaller circle down on a lightly floured baking tray and first spoon on some cauliflower puree leaving an edge of pastry around 1cm deep, then layer the red peppers, spinach and more cauliflower puree then top with the onion and butternut squash. Brush some egg wash around the edge of the bottom layer of pastry.
Place the larger circle of pastry over the top and seal it closed so it joins the bottom circle of pastry.
You should now have one large round wellington with the pastry completely sealed around the egdes.

Brush Egg Wash all over the top and sides of the pastry and then place in the oven for 30-35 minutes at 180c until the pastry has become flaky and golden brown.

Serve with Gravy, any left over cauliflower puree and peas!

Serve whole in the middle of the table and slice up like a big pie!

Happy St Georges Day!!!

St Georges Day Vegetarian Ploughmans Lunch! With a Mushroom and Almond Pâté and a Fruity Goats Cheese

A Ploughmans Salad is always served with beer! Especially in a tankard

Every good English Pub should serve a Ploughman’s salad but you mainly find them served in the Real Ale pubs alongside classics like Fish and Chips and Pork Scratchings! Traditionally this salad is more of a midday working mans snack consisting of bread, cheese, pickled onions and chutneys and it was most definitely washed down with beer. Popular with pubs in the 1950s this salad was a way of increasing cheese sales after rations were lifted at the end of the war.

More modern versions of this dish contain bread, cheese, apple, ham, pâté, celery, tomatoes, pickles and salad leaves with many variations in different parts of the country.

When I have ordered vegetarian versions of a ploughmans before it has just been served with big slabs of cheddar, which is fine if you love cheddar, but I personally find it a bit much to eat like that. I wanted to be presented with a creative alternative to a traditional ploughmans but still with the rustic simplicity needed to make it a true ploughmans.

Ploughmans Salads are different to others because you don’t mix the ingredients together, instead it is usually served on a wooden board and each element is kept seperate. You can then pick and choose how you want to mix it up on your fork! It can be served as single portions or part of a big Ploughmans platter to put in the middle of the table and share around.

For my version I have included two vegetarian elements which I think work well in a ploughmans concept. Mushroom and Almond Pâté works really nicely with the fresh apple and it is delicious spread on to bread or crackers with cheese! It’s got a real hearty, meaty feel to it and I think it’s a good replacement to the boiled ham or liver pâté often served up.

The second element is a Cranberry and Lemon Goats Cheese. This may sound a little fancy for a ploughmans but it works really well against the pâté as it adds a sweeter lighter element. Goats cheese has barely any lactose in it so it is fine for most people with a lactose intolerance to eat. If you are vegan then just substitute the cheese element for your favourite vegan cheez

Mix and Match the ingredients how ever you fancy!

Mushroom and almond pâté -
Serves 6
Vegan, Dairy Free, Gluten Free

25g dried mushrooms soaked then drained n finely chopped (reserve the soaking liquid)
1/2 cup- 75g almonds soaked,
250g (8) large closed cup mushrooms very finely chopped,
1 red onion finely chopped,
1 garlic clove crushed.

Heat oil in a pan and fry the fresh and soaked mushrooms, onion, garlic, thyme and tarragon for 5 mins then add 120 ml/ 1/2 cup of the mushroom soaking liquid. Drain the almonds and roughly chop them then add to the mushrooms mix in the pan and season to taste.
Cook everything down until the water has been absorbed then blend until a rough pate. This is also nice with some truffle oil stirred in.

Cranberry and Lemon Goats Cheese
Vegetarian, Gluten Free, Low Lactose

1 pack soft Goats Cheese
1 Lemon(zest only)
1 handful cranberries

This is very simple, simple combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and then chill until needed. If the goats cheese is firm rather than creamy then put it in the microwave for 10 seconds to loosen it up so you can stir in the extras.

Serve the pate and cheese with-

Lettuce
Cucumber
Tomatoes
Apple
Pickled Onions
Gherkins
Gluten Free Bread
Chutneys
A pint of Ale

Very Simple and Versatile Roasted Harissa Aubergine

Once prepared you can use the aubergine in many different ways

I love aubergines and I only really started eating them in the last few years because many recipes I found put me off by saying they must be salted or that they soak up a lot of oil. The first time I tried cooking it myself I simply stir fried it and it was bland and chewy. I realised that it suited slow cooking and that, like with the oil, it suited big flavours it could soak up.

I now use it as a main ingredient all the time in curries, cut into long strips in lasagna, pasta sauces and now even simply on its own as a side dish. I don’t really know how I came up with this idea other than the fact that I had a lonely aubergine in my fridge and not much else. I wanted to make some cous cous for my lunch and I thought I could use the aubergine to jazz up the cous cous.

I also had a jar of Harissa paste and this idea just came to me. I was pleasantly surprised with how it worked out as the aubergine flesh became full of flavour, quite spicy and incredibly soft. I used a spoon to scoop out the flesh and then I stirred it into cous cous.

Other ways to enjoy an aubergine like this could be topped with raita yoghurt and served with a salad, scooped out and spread into a flat bread as a sandwich, stirred into rice or cous cous, scooped out and served as a kind of spicy mashed aubergine side dish. Or just on its own.

Serves 2

Vegan, gluten-free, low-fat, spicy!

1 Aubergine1-2 tblspn Harissa paste
1 Lemon

Slice the aubergine in half lengthways, using a sharp knife score the flesh but don’t cut through the skin of the aubergine. Take a spoonful of harissa and using the back of a spoon or a knife spread the paste over the aubergine making sure it gets in all of the score lines. Squeeze the lemon juice over the top. Do this on both halves of the aubergine just on the cut side.

Place the aubergine halves on a baking tray, cut side up and bake in an oven at 180c for around 35 minutes. Leave to cool slightly then use it how you like

The Harissa is very spicy so use as much or as little as you like. You could use other pastes like Curry paste, Thai paste or Pesto.

Raw Beetroot, Orange and Asparagus Salad with Hazelnut Dukkah

Ready for some summer weather!?

A couple of weeks ago everyone from my office went for a work lunch and even though I was tempted to order a big pizza I quickly opted for a house salad as everyone decided on healthy options. I work in a really healthy office, no biscuit tin to be seen! This is actually quite nice to be honest, I can still buy treats if I fancy it, but the temptation isn’t always there.

The salad I ordered seemed to have absolutely everything in it! Avocado, orange, grapefruit, beetroot, salad leaves, tomatoes, hazelnuts and many more salad items. It was nice but I found it confused so I decided to do my own version with a selection of the flavours I really enjoyed.

I used to eat a turkey and orange salad all the time and since I turned vegetarian I actually haven’t eaten oranges in a salad, and as soon as I tried it again I fell in love with the juicy sweet freshness it adds to a savoury salad.

The second addition to this salad is the hazelnut dukkah. This was on the salad I had at the restaurant, when I read it on the menu I got really excited as I’d never tried it before but when it turned up all I could find was toasted hazelnuts. I googled dukkah and it describes the dish as nuts mixed with spices so I gave it a go and I think it worked amazingly, especially with the fresh oranges.

I used the dukkah as a sort of dry dressing as it coats everything with flavour and the orange segments act as a wetter ingredient. Make sure everyone has enough orange segments to balance out the flavours.

Autumn colours, summer flavours

Serves 2

Vegetarian, dairy free, gluten free, fruity!

Handful of Watercress
1 small head of Lettuce – chopped
1/2 Raw beetroot
8 spears of Asparagus,
1 large Orange or 2 medium sized ones
Hazelnut Dukkah- 5 toasted hazelnuts blitzed with 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds and black pepper.
1 teaspoon pumpkin seeds
Organic extra virgin Olive oil

The method is very simple – peel the orange and slice into thick segments, peel and finely chop the beetroot into little match sticks and peel and roughly chop the asparagus.

Dry fry the fennel seeds, crushed hazelnuts and coriander seeds until slightly golden and the aroma has been released. Blitz them with some black pepper in a blender and then stir in the pumpkin seeds. Put this to one side to sprinkle over the salad. It should smell amazing and fragrant!

Griddle the asparagus until soft and slightly browned and leave to cool slightly.

Assemble your salad with the mixed lettuce and watercress on the bottom and then the beetroot, orange and asparagus spears scattered around then sprinkle over the hazelnut dukkah and drizzle over good quality olive oil.

Seasonal Vegan Tofu and Garden Pea ‘Quiche’

A great vegan alternative to traditional quiche

This is my version of a quiche/ flan which is suitable for vegans!I have simply replaced the eggs and cream with tofu. As you will see I have included my favourite combination of peas, lemon, garlic, basil and mint – such classic flavours which instantly make you feel like its summer! I have also added watercress because it is in season right now and is so delicious and very good for you.

I was feeling a bit conscious that I use these flavour combinations a lot, but they work so well and each recipe is so different! So hopefully instead of being repetitive I am simply showing how using up ingredients in different ways can create lots of different meals

I have made pies before with a bean puree or with a nut cream and both worked delightfully, however this time I wanted something much lighter (but still creamy) and less calorific. I don’t eat a lot of tofu but I do buy it when I just fancy something easy, there is so much you can do with it, it’s a great vehicle for stronger flavours and it is low fat.

Creamy vegan filling in a crispy pastry case!

I definitely preferred this quiche served hot however it would be nice to make a head and eat at room temperature too as part of a buffet. When I think of quiche it brings up memories of party buffets with sausage rolls, egg sandwiches, chocolate fingers and lemonade! I’m not sure back in those days, when I was a kid who couldn’t get enough of those styles of buffet, that I would one day be making my own version made of tofu!

Maybe deep down I knew because I was one of the few people who would fill my plate with the salad garnish before adding the more unhealthy options.

In case any one was wondering, I have still been following a mostly gluten free diet. I am feeling great on it and I definitely notice the difference when I “accidentally” eat a huge blueberry muffin someone bought in to the office for their birthday, and my stomach instantly bloats up twice the size! This recipe uses filo pastry which isn’t gluten free but you can substitute it for a vegan short crust or your favourite gluten free pastry. As long as it holds in that creamy tofu filling you’ll be fine!

Serves 4

Dairy Free, Vegetarian, Vegan, Husband approved!

Tin size – 10″

400g Tofu130g Frozen Peas
1/2 Lemon
Large handful Watercress
2 Garlic Cloves
10 Large Basil leaves
Handful Mint Leaves
Salt and Pepper
3 Sheets Filo Pastry
Spray Oil

Preheat your oven to 180c

Place the tofu, peas, watercress, garlic, basil, mint and juice of 1 lemon into a blender and mix until you have a smooth green puree. Season with salt and pepper to taste and then blitz again to mix in seasoning. Keep some water cress to one side for garnish

Grease a quiche tin, preferably with a loose bottom so you can get the quiche out easily (and not with 3 spatulas and a lot of swearing as I did). You could also line the tin with baking paper, or just slice it in the quiche tin and take it out in slices

Next line the tin with 3 layers of filo pastry, spraying or brushing some oil in between each layer, trim around the edges so you don’t have too much pastry hanging over.

Pour the tofu mix into the pastry case and smooth out so it is one even layer. Crinkle up the edges of the pastry to make a border around the edge of the quiche.

Place the quiche into the oven and bake for 35 minutes until the filling is set and the pastry is cooked. If the edges look like they are browning too much then cover the pie with foil so that it continues to cook but not colour.

If you are taking it out of the tin then once cooked leave it to cool slightly to make it easier to handle.

Leftovers can be placed in the fridge and then reheated in a hot oven for around 10 minutes.

Perfect for sharing, great hot or cold.

Cooking for a multi diet family of two

I wasn’t vegetarian when me and my husband met so we sometimes joke that I lured him in under false pretences, I would cook steaks and roasts and now I look lentils and tofu. Scott has taken to the diet changes with loving enthusiasm but he is not a vegetarian and I respect that so I make sure I cook him meat a few times a week.

The more I learn about food, and meat in particular, it makes me want to strive for maximum quality in whatever we eat and I try to keep the food we buy as close to its natural state as possible. The changes I have made for Scott are small but significant. For example I have stopped buying processed ham for sandwiches and I now buy an organic free range chicken every couple of weeks, roast it and separate it into portions to go into his lunch (something my mum has been telling me to do for years!). In fact all the meat I buy is organic and British and it is very much about the quality and not the quantity.

Evening meals can be a challenge when planning for us both. I am lucky because I have lots of time in the evenings to potter around the kitchen but it was not always so plain sailing. I have had to work out different menu combinations to ensure I am not cooking two completely separate meals every day. I have found the following tips have helped make meal times satisfying for us both without breaking my back in the kitchen.

One Pots:
I love one pot dishes because not only do they make cooking for different diets easier but it means you always have a portion of something delicious to pull out of the freezer when you know you will be pushed for time. I often make a big 6 portion stew based on vegetables and beans or lentils then I serve it with a portion of meat on the side for Scott and a portion of broccoli or kale for me.
The main base of the dish is made and all you have to do is oven bake or grill some meat and and boil/ steam your vegetables.

If I have time at the weekend then I sometimes make 2 big one pots, one meat based such as beef and ale stew or coq au vin and one vegetable such as lentil chilli or Irish stew. Then during the week all I have to do is heat up one portion of each and cook some vegetables to accompany it.

Curries, tagines and casseroles can all work for this!

Stir fries:
Kind of like an Asian one pot, you can easily either make one large vegetable stir fry in one wok with your vegetables, sauce and noodles and then in another frying pan first cook your tofu (or favourite veggie stir fry topping), keep it warm to one side under some foil and then cook your meat. Then you can serve up the vegetables and noodles followed by the separate toppings. Make sure you cook the vegetarian option first!

Of course you could always cook two stir fries in two pans but I personally only have one wok and then a few frying pans.

Roasted Vegetables:
I cook a big tray of assorted mixed vegetables pretty much every week. They make such a superb base to any meal and you can add bulky root vegetables along with lighter options such as courgettes, peppers and aubergines. Keep it light by using a spray oil and play with the flavours by mixing up spices and herbs or even adding garlic cloves and shallots.

I will often serve beef burgers/ beany burgers on the side or Scott will have a piece of meat and I will have a slice of lentil bake with a vegetarian gravy. The fact you can include the root veg and light veg means you don’t really need any extra sides except your protein.

Leftovers are also great chopped up and stirred into pasta.

Tacos/ Enchilladas:
We got into a routine of eating my butternut squash enchiladas once a week a while ago. The beauty is that the fillings are individually wrapped so do not mix. Fill 4 wraps (2 per person) with the butternut squash filling and then add some grilled bacon and even some cheese to two of them. Wrap them up, put into a baking tray and top with tomato sauce. Just make sure you remember which side is which

Tacos are also great for multi meal easy options as you can do a “fillings buffet” so everyone just helps themselves to what they fancy. Leftovers can be used to make a taco salad the next day!

This also applies to fajitas and quesadillas!

Soups:
Soup is a weekly occurrence in our house, whether it be at lunch or dinner time and it works perfectly at satisfying us both. I make a big batch of vegetarian soup to share and then serve crispbreads/ crackers or toast on the side. My bread will be topped with cheese or salad and Scott’s will be topped with lean meat.

Soup toppings can also vary, add lean chicken breast to bulk the soup up for your partner and add some cooked beans to yours.

I hope some of these tips have been helpful and showed how you can incorporate some easy meal options so that you don’t have to do too much juggling in the kitchen. Let me know what your “multi diet” tips are that you have developed!